Julia Rose Black Abbott was born March 12, 1932, in Williamsville, Illinois to parents Harvey and Mary Black. She was the oldest of three children. Julia passed away July 8, 2024, at the Heritage Care Facility in Red Cloud, Nebraska. She was 92.
Julia grew up and attended school in Williamsville, Illinois. She graduated second in her class and had perfect attendance in all four years of high school. She attended Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois for one year. There she met Morse Abbott who was stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Champaign, Illinois. On December 1, 1951, Julia and Morse were married in Williamsville, Illinois. Their plans were to make the Air Force a career. But after four years Morse was called back to the family farm north of Lebanon, Kansas where they made their home for over 60 years and raised their four children Steven, Linda, Barb, and Tom. Summers always included a trip back to Illinois to see family and friends and to spend time at her parents’ cabin on the Illinois River.
Julia was a member and active in the United Methodist Church in Lebanon. She belonged to Eastern Star where she held various offices. She was a member of the Blue Stocking Bridge Club. She was a Chicago Cubs baseball fan. She loved sunflowers, iris, and her little dog Abby… Julia taught herself to knit and made lots of mittens, scarves, sweaters, and afghans. She loved to cross stitch and made many quilts and throws for family and friends. She always had a “project” in the works. She had a collection of over 100 teapots. Julia was a city girl. She didn’t know how to drive. But she came to love life on the farm. She helped with all the farm chores. She became a great cook and always had room at her table for anyone who stopped in. She raised a big garden and always canned lots of fruits and vegetables. Julia was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother. She was a sister, a friend, a neighbor. She had a beautiful smile…
Julia was preceded in death by her husband Morse, her parents Harvey and Mary Black, a sister MaryLee Canterbury, a son Steven, brother-in-law Norman Abbott and sister in law Carol Kellogg.
She is survived by her two daughters Linda Paget and Barb Johanek, and son Tom Abbott, her brother Bob and wife Shirley of Williamsville, Illinois and a sister-in-law Judy Abbott of Topeka, Kansas. 9 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and nieces and nephews